Thursday, October 22, 2009

The world of Formula 1 has paid tribute to Brawn GP's Jenson Button as the Englishman won the 2009 world drivers' championship in Brazil.Button started from 14th on the Interlagos grid and weaved his way through the field with a scintillating drive to finish fifth in Sao Paulo.He now has an unassailable 15-point advantage going into the season's final race in Abu Dhabi on 1 November.Button also helped his Brawn GP team to become the first Formula 1 team to win the constructors' championship in their debut season.

Former F1 driver and BBC pundit David Coulthard:"Anyone who doubts he's worthy of being world champion just needs to watch that. It was an attacking drive, a really great drive."

Brawn GP's Rubens Barrichello:"I am pleased for Jenson, as a friend, and as a great champion, and if I didn't win, he should have won it, so well done to him."Jenson deserved to do it, but he won it on the first six races, and I think the second half of the championship was mine."It is a hell of a team that deserves to win and we will have a great night tonight. I feel part of this, especially the constructors' championship."Brawn GP team principal Ross Brawn: "Jenson's drive today was the the drive of a world champion.""He's a fantastic racer. Today he had a great race; he knew what he had to do.""We've lost a little bit of pace in the car over the last few races and he's stuck with it and he's deserved everything he's got."

Red Bull driver Mark Webber:"JB is such a consistent driver and, unfortunately for us, this year he was also blisteringly quick at the start of the year as well, and he got the results."Brawn and Button came out running really well at the start of the season, he was on top of the car and that is where he put a big hit into the championship."We pushed hard and other teams arrived in the middle and the back end of the season, Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen in particular, which made it hard for him to close the deal. But he is a deserved champion."

McLaren's 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton:"Big congratulations to Jenson, I have to say incredible job to him and I am really happy for him and his family."I can't take anything away from Jenson he did the better job this year, but I plan on taking it back at some stage, who knows when, but I really hope that we can give it a good challenge next year from the start."

BBC Formula 1 pundit Eddie Jordan:"Why should we not be in total homage to Jenson Button?""He has the most points and he did that before the end of the season with a race to go, he is a totally deserving world champion, never in question."Formula 1 legend and three-time world champion Niki Lauda: "When you are world champion there is nothing to criticise. He is one of the world champions now and he did a perfect job."He was very conservative in the middle of the season, trying to protect his lead, and he did manage to protect it."He drove a really aggressive perfect race in Brazil, so he can do both sides. You have a really good world champion back in England again."

Jenson's mother Simone Lyons:"I'm just cried out! I was just crying and sobbing as he was crossing the line, and those last three laps were the longest ever. I always believed he'd do it and I expect he did as well because he knows the effort he puts into it."

Prime Minister Gordon Brown:"I want to send my warmest congratulations to Jenson Button for clinching the Formula 1 drivers' championship today in Brazil, on the same circuit that Lewis Hamilton won the drivers' championship last year."We can be proud that Jenson is the 10th British driver to win the title."His performances over the season with the new Brawn team have excited Formula 1 fans in Britain and across the world, and we look forward to his continuing success in the seasons ahead."

Sir Jackie Stewart, three-time F1 world champion:"I know the feeling, and to win your first world championship is always a bigger thrill.""He came through the field magically actually. I mean, he picked up nine places, there were a few accidents that helped him on his way, but he got through those without a scratch and without damaging the car."I'm thrilled for him because it's the first time in 40 years that we've had a British champion back-to-back, first Lewis Hamilton and now Jenson Button. It's great."

Brawn GP chief executive Nick Fry:"As the chief executive I have to do the tough job of contract negotiating and I think Jenson's share price has gone up a bit today. He is making my life even more difficult!"

BBC F1 analyst and former driver Martin Brundle:"Jenson answered any critics he might have without any doubt with that drive today. He is the world champion with one race to spare."It's a bit of a British thing, we like to knock ourselves, but we should pump ourselves up a little bit. Jenson Button is a very worthy world champion."

Rubens Barrichello's Brawn GP race engineer Jock Clear:"It is all about Jenson Button, and what he did on the track today."Everyone complains about not enough overtaking, but Jenson won a championship by overtaking today, and that's what we all want to see."It was a brilliant, brilliant drive from him. I take my hat off to him."